European shipowners welcome CO2 deal for aviation and look forward to positive decisions at IMO

European shipowners welcome the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) agreement reached yesterday on a new global market-based measure to control Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from international aviation.

“We congratulate our aviation colleagues with this new milestone in reducing GHG emissions from global transport sectors”, said ECSA President Niels Smedegaard, “We are confident that at the end of this month the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will decide on the next steps for shipping.”

The shipping industry has a mandatory global CO2 reduction regime which has been in force since 2013. IMO will now build on the substantial CO2 reductions already achieved by shipping, introducing a global CO2 data collection system, which will be fully operational by 2018. Based on the data collected and a real understanding of the emissions, realistic targets for CO2 emission reduction can be set for the sector.

“We fully support our colleagues at the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in their recent plea to set a timeline for the further reduction of the shipping sector’s GHG emissions”, continued Niels Smedegaard, “It is important that IMO doesn’t stop at data collection and effectively responds to the Paris Agreement on climate change.”

Environmental sustainability and decarbonisation of shipping featured high on the agenda of the shipping policy seminar that ECSA and the Malta International Shipowners’ Association held in Valletta earlier this week.

Addressing the seminar from the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the Maltese MEP Miriam Dalli (S&D / Environment Committee) commented: “I do believe that IMO should be the one leading robust international action, to push forward the sector’s efforts. Acting globally would take away the fear of losing the sector’s competitiveness. But the maritime sector needs to act and it needs to act fast. It is thus crucial that the IMO sends a strong and vibrant message to the international community that action will be taken.”